In the US, the sequel has grossed $86m (£53m) so far. Based on that figure, going by rule of thumb, you'd expect a UK total in the £8-9m range, so it's clearly overperforming in this country.

Likewise benefiting from a lack of fresh competition, horror film Sinister has posted a sensational hold, with a drop of just 12% from the previous weekend. After 10 days, the Ethan Hawke movie has grossed £3.70m, following a very similar trajectory to 2011's Insidious, from the same distributor and producer, which opened on exactly the same number (£1.44m) and then fell just 9% for a 10-day cume of £3.87m.

The family battle

Although not officially released until this Friday, Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted enjoyed extensive previews on Saturday and Sunday, and was the top family film in the market. These takings, rumoured to be around £2m, will be added in to the film's official tally next weekend. Despite this competition from the DreamWorks Animation hit, Sony's own Hotel Transylvania debuted with a decent £1.73m. Tim Burton's Frankenweenie played at 24 Imax cinemas only, ahead of its full national release on Wednesday. The arrival of all these animated features saw Universal/Laika's ParaNorman plunge by 73%, the biggest drop among films in the top 10.

The disappointments

There's been talk of an On the Road movie ever since its 1957 publication; Francis Ford Coppola optioned the film rights in 1979, and Walter Salles has been on board to direct since 2004. Anticipation has been high since production began in August 2010, and the film received a high-profile world premiere in Cannes in May earlier this year, with cast members Garrett Hedlund, Sam Riley, Kristen Stewart, Kirsten Dunst, Viggo Mortensen, Tom Sturridge and Danny Morgan in attendance. For all these reasons, On the Road's debut of £219,000 from 100 sites, including £46,300 in previews, seems fairly lacklustre. And considering the film took a whopping £13,361 from London's Curzon Soho over the three-day weekend, compared to a site average of £1,724 over the same period, it's clear that it enjoyed very mixed fortunes across the country.

Still, On the Road is a poster child for box-office achievement next to Ruby Sparks, from Little Miss Sunshine directors Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris. With just £299,000 from 308 sites, including £11,800 in previews – delivering a per-theatre average of just £972 – this is another case of a film being released unsustainably wide. Little Miss Sunshine was released in September 2006 on just 114 screens (grossing £350,000), and expanded steadily over the next couple of weeks to 173 venues. After five weeks in the top 10, the sleeper hit had grossed a decent £2.57m.

Landing in disappointing 17th place, the English-language remake of Nicolas Winding Refn's Danish thriller Pusher grossed a feeble £49,300 from 122 sites, including £15,100 in previews. Even if you generously add the preview takings in, that's a site average of just £404. Similarly undistinguished is Dax Shepard's road comedy Hit & Run, with £28,900 from 54 screens, and a £535 average. Both titles will struggle to hold on to their play dates this coming weekend, and will hope for better when they arrive on their natural home, DVD.

The live event

Not included in the official reporting, but rumoured to have grossed at least £170,000, is the satellite relay of the New York Met Opera's production of Donizetti's L'Elisir D'Amore. Kicking off the seventh season of The Met: Live in HD, the result once again confirms that audiences nationwide are willing to pay premium prices for this kind of high-end content in cinemas. The lunchtime slot in New York works perfectly for evening UK presentation, with the five-hour time difference. Verdi's Otello is next, on 27 October.

The event created a competitive environment for all arthouse films on Saturday, but German drama Barbara once again posted a solid hold, down just 8%, and the film will expand into new screens from Friday.

The future

Thanks to those £2m in Madagascar 3 previews not being included in official tallies, overall the market is 8% down on the equivalent weekend from 2011, when Johnny English Reborn held on at the top spot and The Three Musketeers and Real Steel were the top new releases. Had the Madagascar 3 previews been reported, the market would in fact be up on 2011 for the weekend. Although most schools don't break up for half-term until 26 October, cinemas are gearing into action, with Frankenweenie's expansion on Wednesday, and the official release of Madagascar 3 on Friday. Adults and teens will also have the option of Paranormal Activity 4, which arrives Wednesday and should then enjoy a good run through to Halloween. Top arthouse offering is likely to be Sundance and Cannes award winner Beasts of the Southern Wild.